Contact information
In case of unforeseen situations or any other need, you may contact the following persons:
Youri Skaskevitch, Programme Officer, EU Delegation to Kazakhstan (EN, RU)
Youri.Skaskevitch@eeas.europa.eu
Céleste Laporte Talamon, Policy Analyst, OECD Eurasia (EN, RU)
celeste.laportetalamon@oecd.org
Visa information
Citizens of Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and EU countries do not require a visa when travelling to Kazakhstan. However, citizens from other countries may need to obtain a visa prior to travelling to Kazakhstan. Please consult the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan at this link: Visa regime of the Republic of Kazakhstan for foreign citizens (www.gov.kz)
Almaty Airport Arrival
Cash can be withdrawn at Halyk Bank which is located on the second floor of the passenger terminal between the departure zones of international and domestic flights. Bank machines can be found at the exit of the luggage collection area of the airport.
Getting to the city
Participants are fully responsible for arranging and paying for their travel expenses. Below you can find some information and options for your travel from the Almaty International Airport to the centre of Almaty. The airport is located 15 kilometres from the city centre.
By taxi:
Taxis with a taximeter are permanently available in front of the airport’s Arrivals Hall. The travel between the airport and Almaty takes approximately 25 to 30 minutes. Travellers are advised to avoid unlicensed taxis.
Widely used taxi companies:
- Bolt;
- Blue Sky Energy, the first electric taxi service in Kazakhstan operates with Almaty airport and uses Nissan Leaf and Tesla cars. Rates from the airport to hotels in the city range from KZT 5 000.00 to KZT 8 000.00 each way. Payment can be made with bank cards, cash, Kaspi R and can be booked via their website below or with WhatsApp with the following number +7 701 671 4165: Blue Sky Energy – The first electric taxi in Almaty and Kazakhstan
The fare from the airport to the city is calculated online. Payment can be made online or in cash on the ground. Prices depend on the transfer class (economy, comfort or business).
By bus:
There are four buses that operate between Almaty Aiport and the city centre: 79 (Green bus), 86, 92 (Green bus) and 106. Bus fare is KZT 150.00 (+/ 0.32 Euros), and travel time takes 45 minutes depending on traffic. Please note that the night bus N992 does not arrive at the station area of the airport for drop-off of passengers. At Almaty Airport, you can buy an “Onay” transport card [ОҢАЙ] for public transport at the automatic teller near the bus stop complex at the airport. If you have a card, you only pay KZT 80.00 for a single journey instead of KZT 150.00
Forum venue
The two-day forum will take place in the conference centre Ritz-Carlton, Almaty Hotel on 18-19 May 2023. The hotel is located in the Esentai Tower, located on 77/7 Al Farabi Avenue. Contact number: +7 727 332 8888.
Accommodation
Participants are fully responsible for arranging and paying for their accommodation and additional expenses.
You may consider the below list of hotels, however, the organisers do not attest to the quality of the services of the hotels. Alternatively, participants can search on booking.com or hotels.com
| Kazakhstan Hotel Hotel website: Kazakhstan Hotel Tel: + 7 702 155 50 55 | Ibis Almaty Jetisu Hotel website: Ibis Almaty Jetisu Tel: +7 727 355 0355 |
| Holiday Inn Almaty Hotel website: Holiday Inn Tel: +7 727 244 02 55 | Swissôtel, 5* Hotel Accommodation Hotel website: Swissôtel Tel: +7 727 391 0101 |
| Rixos, 5* Accommodation Hotel website: Rixos Almaty Tel: +7 727 300 3300 | The Ritz-Carlton, 5* Accommodation Hotel website: Ritz-Carlton Almaty Tel: +7 727 332 8888 |
Time difference
Almaty is located in the Alma-Ata Time Zone (UTC +06:00), 5 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time.
Weather
The weather in Almaty during the month of May tends to be warm. Afternoon high temperatures tend to be around 23 degrees Celsius, with cooler temperatures of 11 degrees Celsius in the evenings and early morning.
Local currency
The official currency of the Republic of Kazakhstan is the Kazakh Tenge (KZT). The commercial exchange rate is subject to change daily. There is a currency exchange kiosk located at the Almaty airport and in many places across the city. Most bank are open from 9.00 to 18.00 from Monday to Friday. Major international debit/credit cards including Visa and MasterCard are accepted in the larger hotels and in major department store, restaurants, and supermarkets. Small businesses and family-run shops may not accept bank cards, so it is useful to keep a moderate amount of cash on hand.
The daily currency rate list is available at: Daily Official (market) Foreign Exchange Rates | National Bank of Kazakhstan
Please note that photo identification (ID) is required to exchange money.
Computer
Participants are requested to bring personal laptops and/or tablets for their own use during the Forum.
Electricity
The voltage used in the Republic of Kazakhstan is generally 220-240 volts. The plugs used are Type C (European CEE 7/16 Europlug) or Type E/F (European CEE 7/4 or CEE 7/5 Schuko). Delegates and speakers are highly encouraged to bring their own universal plug adapter.
Medical advice
It is advised not to drink tap water. As medical services variate from country to country, we recommend that you have an international medical insurance for your travel to Kazakhstan including repatriation.
Emergency Numbers
101 – Fire emergency services
102 – Police services
103 – Ambulance service
112 – Rescue service